1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to message delivery devices, and more particularly to devices for delivering messages to persons on a moving vehicle such as a railroad train.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the normal operation of a railroad system, instructions or orders from dispatchers located at a station or the like must be transmitted to various crew members of a train as it passes by the station. Although the control of trains is becoming more automated and communication systems between the station and the moving train are becoming more sophisticated, a need still exists for expeditiously and economically passing written orders to the train crew, especially at more remotely located stations. Crew members in turn often must transmit information to dispatchers, clerks, or yard attendants.
Various devices have been used for passing up messages to train crew members. One such commonly used device is a fork type holder with the two tines of the fork outwardly diverging to form a "V" shape. A "loop", usually of string or twine, is clipped to the fork to lay along the length of the tines and to extend straight across the free ends of the tines to form a closed triangular shape. Generally, a message is tied to the portion of the string loop extending across the ends of the fork tines. The handle of the fork can be provided with sufficient length to enable a yard attendant standing alongside the train track to hold this fork type device upward so that the loop is close enough to the moving train to enable a crew member to extend his arm through the loop to pull it free of the fork. Alternatively, the fork tines can be attached to a shorter handle or arm, which arm extends horizontally from a vertical mast so that the message loop is supported adjacent to the traveling train and at an elevation for enabling said loop to be grabbed by a crew member.
A second type of known message delivery device is simply in the form of a ring having a clip attached thereto for holding a folded message. The ring is detachably connected to either a long handle which is held by a station attendant or to an arm which is supported horizontally by a vertical mast. Regardless of the method used to support the ring, it must be positioned close enough to the traveling train and at a proper elevation to enable a crew member to extend his hand and arm through the ring to pull the ring free from either the handle or the horizontal arm.
A disadvantage common to both the fork type and ring type message delivery devices is that because the paper on which the message is written is exposed, rather than placed inside a container, the paper must be wrapped to protect it from rain, snow and the like. A second disadvantage of these devices is that no provision is made for messages to be transmitted from the train crew members to the dispatcher or station attendant. A further disadvantage of the fork type delivery device is that for each message passed up to the train crew, a length of string must be cut from a ball, the string must be tied around the message bearing paper, and then finally the ends of the string must be tied together to form a continuous loop. This not only crumples the paper on which the message is written, but also requires a time consuming, expensive manual operation. Summary of the Invention
The instant invention relates to a novel message delivery device for passing messages to an operator located on a moving vehicle, and in basic form comprises an upstanding two-piece telescoping mast, which mast has a base section fixedly anchored with respect to the ground and a top section positionable at a selected elevation in respect to the base section. A plurality of horizontally disposed swing arms are pivotally attached in vertically spaced alignment to the mast top section by mounting means. The free end of each swing arm, which extends radially of the mast, is slidably engageable into one end of a message tube. The message tube has a sufficiently long length and an adequate inside diameter to receive therein a rolled up piece of paper on which a message is written. The ends of a circular hoop are fixedly attached to the end portion of the message tube opposite the swing arm such that the plane defined by the hoop is parallel to the length of the message tube. Furthermore, the free end of the swing arm is provided with retaining means for both limiting the endwise engagement between the swing arm and the message tube and for resisting rotational movement of the message tube in respect to the swing arm. Thus, after a message is placed inside the message tube and after the message tube is engaged with the free end of the swing arm, the message holder can be slidably disengaged from the swing arm by an operator who is located on a traveling vehicle, extending his arm through the ring and pulling the ring from the swing arm.
It is an object of the invention to provide a message delivery device having a reusable message holder into which a message can be simply placed without having to be wrapped to protect the message from inclement weather.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a message delivery device constructed from a minimum of light-weight, inexpensive, readily available components to minimize the cost of the device, but without sacrificing the durability of the device.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a message delivery device which is inexpensive both to maintain and to operate.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a message delivery device which can be used to transmit several messages to a moving vehicle simultaneously.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a message delivery device which is easily visible in the daylight or at night.
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a message delivery device which can be used to pass messages from a stationary person to an operator in a moving vehicle, and from the operator in the moving vehicle to the stationary person.
One more object is to provide a message delivery device which does not require any structural modifications of the moving vehicle.